Linux, KDE, Kubuntu, and Internet: Why is it hard?

[Fenyx]

NOTE: This is not really a question on how to connect to the internet in Kubuntu Breezy/Dapper, so please don't move it into the Networking Support.

Basic Question: Why is it difficult to setup an Internet connection in Kubuntu?

I've been noticing that some people have been having troubles connecting to the internet in whatever mode: dial-up, ADSL/DSL, Wireless/WiFi. Then I thought about my own experience when I first started with Ubuntu. As this was (and still is) my only PC, I did not have the convenience of running Kubuntu, while browsing through documentation and stuff. And I also realized that there was actually no easy way, no GUI even, to connect to the internet, at least for a DSL connection.

I can't speak for WiFi users, as I have absolutely no knowledge/experience with it, but I can speak probably for DSL users. Why is there no obvious/direct way to setup a DSL connection? The only way is through pppoeconf, something that is not so evident to new users. MEPIS and KNOPPIX have an entry in their K Menu that says something like "ADSL/DSL PPPoE Configuration", and which launches pppoeconf in a terminal window, just a little above KPPP. See, there's KPPP for dial-up users. But nothing for A/DSL. Then there's also Wireless LAN assistant (wlassistant), but I'm not sure if that is the one being used for WiFi. I hate to compare to Windows, but I think that no one can argue that setting up an internet connection with XP is a breeze.

EDIT: Something completely slipped my mind. At least for DSL internet, there's no way to turn it on/off without going to the command line. Of course you could just set it up to connect on startup, but shouldn't an alternative choice be there, too? I somehow miss the system tray icon in Windows that not allows you to disconnect and also monitors your connection. In Linux, we have those but scattered in different apps.

Is there a sort of Linux-only issue why no one has seemingly come up with an easier way to connect to the internet? Is it because Linux does something differently when it comes to the internet?

Just a question that has been boggling me for quite some time. If anyone can offer me enlightenment, or even just links to some information floating around, I'd greatly appreciate it.

Thanks!

[askrieger]

Re: Linux, KDE, Kubuntu, and Internet: Why is it hard?

I noticed a while ago that it seemed, (I didn't do the math), as if some enormous fraction of all the posts on this forum were concerned with precisely that topic. And two thrids of those were concerned with Wireless. In fact, the only people who have an easy time of it are those who connect via a NIC to a home router/switch that is connected to a cable or ADSL modem. In other words, someone else, namely Dlink or Cisco/Linksys has done the hard part and all the user has to do is setup a dhcp connection, which Kubuntu handles pretty well before the install is finished.

Admittedly, some of the other modes of getting to the internet are a lot harder to handle, but I've got to agree with you. IT'S TOO DARN HARD for someone with ten minutes, of Linux experience to set up a PPPOE connection, let alone WPA wireless. Some of the reasons are obvious. There is no incentive for wireless chipset manufacturers to formulate a uniform interface that Linux developers could program to. As it is, they comply with M$ demands for proprietary interface data because they have to, and give Linux the cold shoulder, because there aren't enough of us.

Personally, I regard this, even more than playing mp3s and dvds (that only takes ten minutes of finding the right wiki page after you get connected to the net) as the barrier to widespread use of Linux

[shadowfx78]

Re: Linux, KDE, Kubuntu, and Internet: Why is it hard?

Im quite the linux newbie and i figured out how to setup my wireless card with little problem, I do know quite a bit about windows but very very little about operating in linux.

[askrieger]

Re: Linux, KDE, Kubuntu, and Internet: Why is it hard?

Trust me, there are a LOT of people visiting this forum who have been a lot less successful than you at setting up their wireless internet connections.

[sarah_b]

Re: Linux, KDE, Kubuntu, and Internet: Why is it hard?

Basic Question: Why is it difficult to setup an Internet connection in Kubuntu?

Only now with Kubuntu Dapper, did my Linksys Wireless work right out of the box, it indeed impressed me.

[utnubuk]

Re: Linux, KDE, Kubuntu, and Internet: Why is it hard?

Im quite the linux newbie and i figured out how to setup my wireless card with little problem

Total noob here too. However I'm a windows moron as well. I'm just not very computer literate, am I:-) But I'm a eager learner, so there is always hope.

I guess I'm just lucky as I'm behind mentioned router type so dhcp makes it easy. Just finding out. I thought that was the standard way anyway:-) I would have no idea how to connect to DSL or any other method through direct modem connection.

[kbobpur]

Re: Linux, KDE, Kubuntu, and Internet: Why is it hard?

Another Linux Noob here too.
My internet connection goes through a DSL modem into a LinkSys Router. Everything is hardwired and has been worry free. Even when installing a new version of Ubuntu I've always had my internet at first boot. I jump from different versions of Kubuntu/Ubuntu/Xubuntu to learn about each. It's all networked with two WinXP computers.
I will admit that if something went wrong I'd be lost, but it has always worked.
This computer is a 7 year old Compaq Presario that has been much upgraded from stock but still runs great.

[Fenyx]

Re: Linux, KDE, Kubuntu, and Internet: Why is it hard?

I have noticed something regarding setting up internet connections in Linux distros:

Most of the RPM-based distros I've tried/seen have GUI front-ends for setting up the internet, whether it be modem, DSL, or Wifi. These distros include PCLinuxOS, Mandrive One 2006, Fedora Core, and SUSE.

On the other hand, I have yet to see a Debian-based distro that has that. Not even MEPIS or KNOPPIX. I'm not sure about Linspire, as I have not seen/tried it yet, but I'm betting it has one.

[Nirvana]

Re: Linux, KDE, Kubuntu, and Internet: Why is it hard?

It's not hard if you plan ahead I would assume... But I never experienced any problems on my connection... Ahhh, the beauty of a wired router and cable internet

[Fenyx]

Re: Linux, KDE, Kubuntu, and Internet: Why is it hard?

Of course, planning ahead, specially on an unfamiliar OS, is essential. (I'm also using a wired router + DSL internet).

I guess my real issue is that there's no "easy" GUI way to setup the internet, specifically for DSL connections. Wireless internet connections also seem to have some trouble.

But after some investigation, I also found out that only the Debian based distros don't have a GUI interface that sets up all types of connections. We have separate programs like KPPP, or Wireless Assistant, etc., but no single GUI that handles them all.